Grey Star the Wizard (5 page)

It appears your new companions put great faith in your leadership: a faith that is only slightly shaken when you admit that you have very little idea of where to go. You explain that your quest is to find the Lost Tribe of Lara (though you do not tell them its origin or true purpose), and suggest that Shan guides you. ‘There is no obligation upon you to remain with me, though,’ you tell Tanith and Shan. ‘You are free to do as you please.’

‘I, for one, have no other place to go,’ says Tanith. ‘Mother Magri was a cruel mistress and I would gladly aid any opponent of the rule of the Wytch-king and his servants.’

‘And I, too,’ says Shan. ‘But which way shall we go? We must keep moving, for it is certain that the Shadakine are searching for us.’

Illustration II
—There is a pause while you all consider the problem.

There is a pause while you all consider the problem. Finally you ask if they have any suggestions. Shan's advice is to journey south to the Azanam, which he believes to be the most likely haunt of the lost tribe, and he offers to guide you there.

‘But if you are wrong,’ says Tanith, ‘we will have journeyed far and into great danger unnecessarily. We need guidance. Three days' travel to the north of here lives Jnana the Wise, a hermit sage, “He Who Serves No Master”. I can take you to him.’

If you have the Medallion of the ‘Redeemer’
and
the Vial of Pink Liquid,
turn to 264
.

If you decide to take Shan's advice,
turn to 190
.

If you wish to seek the counsel of Jnana the Wise,
turn to 134
.

The tunnel is very narrow and you have to crawl on your hands and knees. It slopes gently upwards, and as you continue, your body is squeezed tighter and tighter between the smooth stone walls. You feel that you must soon suffocate in the claustrophobic darkness. Then, finally and with great relief, you reach the end of the tunnel and pull yourself through, panting and sweating.

It is still pitch dark, but you are able to stand, and you sense that you are in some kind of cavern.

If you have a Torch and Tinderbox, and wish to light the Torch in order to take a look around,
turn to 35
.

If you would rather exert 1
WILLPOWER
point to create a small glow from your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 46
.

If you do not have either of these items, or if you do not wish to use them,
turn to 59
.

You are left with only seconds in which to regret your foolish decision. The Shadakine warriors do not feel the least compunction about shooting a man in the back, and your body is soon fatally punctured by a crossbow bolt.

Your life and your quest end here.

You journey along the road and, to Shan's surprise, discover that it is deserted. ‘I can't understand it,’ he says, puzzled. ‘This road is usually teeming with traders.’

You have been walking for three hours when you sight a wagon parked by the roadside. A group of men are sitting around a campfire near a small grove of trees. ‘Wait here,’ says Shan. ‘I'll see if I can get some information out of these merchants about the road that lies ahead.’

He returns shortly, carrying a short sword. He smiles broadly. ‘A bargain,’ he says. ‘Only 5 Nobles. It must be worth at least 20. Always ready to strike a bargain with a fool,’ he beams.

‘What about the road?’ asks Tanith, impatiently. ‘Why is it empty?’

‘The Shadakine are searching for us,’ he replies. ‘The roads and bridges have been closed until they discover us. These merchants were stranded and have made camp.’

‘We'll have to keep to the cover of the forest from now on,’ you say, worried. You enter the forest and continue your journey cautiously.

Turn to 39
.

You run up the curving tunnel but are forced to stop after a little way. The low-ceilinged passage is now in total darkness, and you cannot even see your hand stretched out before your face.

If you have a Torch and Tinderbox, you may light the Torch to help you to see your way. If you do not have a Torch, or would prefer not to use it, you may expend 1
WILLPOWER
point creating a light from the tip of your Wizard's Staff. This light will last until you extinguish it, and you will not have to use any more
WILLPOWER
points to keep it alight.

If you choose to continue in darkness,
turn to 122
.

If you choose to light your way,
turn to 334
.

Stepping as lightly as you can, you turn right, with Shan following close behind. At the end of the corridor are two stairways — both leading upwards.

If you have the Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 92
. (Note this section number first as you will need to return to it later.)

If you wish to take the left stairway,
turn to 137
.

If you wish to take the right stairway,
turn to 321
.

You fall into an uneasy sleep in which you are troubled by strange dreams. You wake with a start in the middle of the night to see Tanith crouched over the dying embers of the campfire, which glows with a dull, yellow light.

If you wish to investigate,
turn to 10
.

If you wish to pretend that you are sleeping,
turn to 33
.

You recognize the small antechamber. It was here that Mother Magri subjected you to the test of truth, using the Kazim Stone. The terrible, glowing sphere stands in the centre of the empty room on a small table; it is giving off a faint light.

If you wish to take the Kazim Stone,
turn to 77
.

If you wish to leave the antechamber immediately,
turn to 129
.

Glancing behind, you notice a small, weasel-faced man ducking in and out of the shadows cast by the flickering torchlight. You are being followed.

If you wish to act as if nothing has happened,
turn to 97
.

If you wish to confront the weasel-faced man,
turn to 166
.

If you would prefer to leave the market square and make a run for it,
turn to 241
.

With your Staff still crackling with wild energy, illuminating the alleyway, you turn around and run towards the narrow street for all you are worth.

Turn to 195
.

In one swift, fluid movement, you rise to stand upon the shoulders of those who bear you. The mob lets out a rousing cheer that peters into silence as you dive into the mass of people packed tightly behind you. Your fall is cushioned by their bodies, and unharmed, you quickly scramble to your feet.

You hear the unmistakable sound of people crying out in pain as two Shadakine warriors beat a bloody path through the human wall that separates them from you.

If you wish to aid the people you have just deserted,
turn to 308
.

If you would rather escape under the cover of the ensuing chaos,
turn to 336
.

As the river begins to narrow, the once clear waters of the Azan River become a murky brown. Close to the banks, there are many shallow inlets where stagnant pools and swamps are overgrown with clumps of rope-like tendrils. These tendrils form the branches of a large plant called the Yaku. The tendrils are sensitized vines that snake across the ground towards a pool or into the main river, for the rest of the limestone canyon is arid. At the heart of the Yaku plant is a cluster of sharp points, and Shan warns you to keep well clear of these poisoned barbs.

Illustration III
—Stagnant pools and swamps are overgrown with clumps of rope-like tendrils.

It becomes increasingly hard to remain close to the river's edge without clusters of Yaku tendrils blocking your path.

If you wish to move further away from the Azan River and the difficult ground that borders it,
turn to 54
.

If you would prefer to keep to the river, thus following a direct path to the Wall of Azakawa and the cloud forests of the Azanam that lie beyond,
turn to 104
.

It is impossible to see which Yaku stem the tendrils are attached to, so you attack the wriggling cluster with a wide, sweeping stroke of your Staff across them all; you exert 2
WILLPOWER
points.
¹⁰

You have made the right decision; you have severed all the tendrils that threatened you. You are safe … for the moment.

Turn to 128
.

You are very tired. Wearily, you close your eyes and call on the Elementals for their aid. Your chant ends, and at first, it seems that you have failed. Then you hear the sound of rushing water: a gigantic wave rises up further along the river. The foaming, white crest of the wave towers above the bridge in the shape of an outstretched hand. The watery fingers clench to form an immense fist that smashes onto the bridge, crushing it as though it were made of matchsticks, and drenching the three of you, as it washes the bridge downstream.

‘Such power!’ Tanith exclaims, her eyes shining with childish delight and admiration.

The spell has cost you 1
WILLPOWER
point.

Turn to 75
.

Skilfully you wield your Staff, shielding yourself from the creature's deadly touch as it passes overhead. You watch as the Quoku climbs in the sky, flying in a wide circle to position itself for its next attack.

Suddenly, the Quoku dives towards Shan.

If you wish to attempt a long-range attack on the Quoku,
turn to 107
.

If you wish to try to defend Shan from the attack,
turn to 57
.

Tanith is talking quietly, addressing her words to the fire. ‘No Mother, I will not … I cannot … ’ A diminutive figure shivering by the dwindling fire, she is obviously greatly distressed. Perhaps her conscience troubles her?

If you wish to investigate,
turn to 10
.

If you wish to leave Tanith to the privacy of her own thoughts,
turn to 69
.